One of the best Yogyakarta tours is watching the Manohara Borobudur
Tour. Standing between the stuppas of Buddha watching the sun rise from the top
of Borobudur temple with the view of the mist rolling over the valleys is
something that will always stay with me. I’d like to share with you what to
expect when visiting Borobudur temple via Manohara Hotel for sunrise. It’s a
really special experience.
I’ll provide my experience of the Borobudur Manohara Tour
and how to arrange it below. We can help you arrange a shared tour to Borobudur
via Manohara for sunrise. It’s a shared tour that includes transport and
entrance to the Borobudur
Getting Borobudur Temple
If you want to watch sunrise at Borobudur then you need to
wake up early, like 3:30-4:00 in the morning. The temple is a one-hour drive
away from Yogyakarta in the neighboring province of Central Java. There are two
main routes to the temple. The first directly follows the main road out of
town, before cutting briefly across the countryside. The second is a
cross-country journey through the winding roads and rice fields of Java.
If you are visiting Borobudur for sunrise as part of an
organized tour then you will take the main road to the temple and take the same
route on the return journey. If you organize a private car rental then I would
recommend taking the main road to Borobudur on the way (when you can’t see
anything) and returning cross-country as the views are really worth it.
Sunrise at Borobudur
There are two places where you can watch sunrise and see
Borobudur. The first, and probably the best option, is through Manohara Hotel.
The second popular choice is watching sunrise from the viewpoint on the Punthuk
Setumbu Hills. I want to talk about Manohara, which is the more expensive
option. If you are interested in the Punthuk Setumbu Hills, read about it here.
Why Choose Sunrise Borobudur via Manohara Hotel
If you want to see sunrise from the top of Borobudur Temple
then you have to go through Manohara Hotel. The entrance cost for a ticket is
Rp 400,000. The regular price is USD 25 per person. For the additional fee you
get to enter Borobudur temple few hours before any of the crowds arrive.
You normally arrive at Borobudur at 4:30am. Once you’re in
the temple grounds you can go to the top of Borobudur temple to watch the
sunrise. It normally gets pretty crowded at the top and there can be up to 60
or more people all waiting patiently for the first view of the sun rising over
the horizon.
In the tropics the sun rises very quickly and quite early.
Sunrise in Java happens at around 5:30 am. Between 5:30 am to 6:00 am is the
best opportunity to take photos of the sunrise. After that the sun is already
far over the horizon and you lose all of those brilliant colors.
If it’s been a cold night and there is heavy mist, which is
a problem if you are on Setumbu Hills as you won’t get to see Borobudur. If you
enter from Manohara however then the mist is great. You can get some really
beautiful photos on a misty day from the top of the temple as the sun rises
over the horizon. The mist evaporates quite quickly though and it’s normally
all gone by 6am.
Arranging Your Borobudur Sunrise Tour
The easiest way to see sunrise at Borobudur is renting a car
with a driver. This is the perfect option for families and couples as it gives
you the freedom to set your own itinerary.
If you choose to rent a car with a driver I would recommend
visiting Ullen Sentalu Museum and also do the Merapi Lava Tour (with jeep).
Ullen Sentalu museum is a Javanese art and culture museum and is located in
Kaliurang area, close to Merapi volcano.
An alternative to a private car rental is joining a group
tour. While joining a group tour is cheaper for small groups than a private car
rental, you do spend a lot of time waiting around for people. If you aren’t the
kind of person who spends hours exploring temples then these long waits can be
quite frustrating.
Important Facts
A day tour to Borobudur and Prambanan is a full day of
adventure. You get picked up from your hotel at 4:00 in the morning and return
to Yogyakarta at around 2pm in the afternoon. If you decide to visit the sites
make sure to bring a hat as it can get very hot under the tropical sun.
Price of the Tour
The admission fee for Sunrise Borobudur via Manohara Hotel
is Rp 450,000 per person. The price for a ticket to Prambanan temple is USD 25
per person and a one day car rental is Rp 600,000. Btw, you can get a combined
Prambanan and Borobudur ticket. This option is cheaper than buying both tickets
individually, but it is not valid for Sunrise Borobudur via Manohara. You can
get the combined ticket if you do the sunrise from Setumbu Hill.
The Manohara Borobudur Sunrise Tour
I hope this article gave you an overview of the Borobudur
sunrise tour from Manohara. Although it’s a bit more expensive than a regular
ticket I think this option is totally worth it and I’d definitely suggest
Sunrise from the top of Borobudur Temple (via Manohara) for any tourist visiting
Borobudur for the first time. If you want to join a tour I can help. I’ve
teamed up with a local travel agency and independent local drivers to offer to
offer a complete day tour.
Included in the package:
Transport to and
from Borobudur temple
Knowledgeable
local driver
Tickets (optional)
Local guide
(optional)
Borobudur Sunrise
Borobudur is best seen at dawn, when the air is fresh and
full of birdsong. As the mist begins to lift, the sun scales the surrounding
volcanoes and terraced fields, and highlights the stone reliefs and the many
faces of Buddha. Glimpsing Borobudur for the first time is often a deeply felt
emotional experience.
This tour offers a different experience where participants
were given a special pass to enter the monument early in the morning at
approximately 04.30 am before public visitors and visitor have to walk from the
hotel to Borobudur with a pre-dawn stroll through the dewy grass of a lush
tropical garden. A panoramic scenery and a very beautiful morning at Borobudur
especially those moments when the sun would appear from the horizon. A truly
enlightening experience!
Package Price :
ADULT
Foreigner Visitor : IDR 450.000 per person
Domestic Visitor : IDR 325.000 per person
In house guest (who staying at Manohara) : IDR 275.000 per
person
CHILDREN
Foreigner Visitor : IDR 225.000 per person
Domestic Visitor : IDR 162.500 per person
In house guest (who staying at Manohara) : IDR 137.500 per
person
The rates above include tea/coffee, light snack, entrance to
Borobudur Temple from 4.30am (before public open time).
There is no limitation for the number of Borobudur Sunrise
guest . So, you could purchase the ticket directly here at our ticketing
counter in the morning (at 4.20am) on the day you want to see the Borobudur
Sunrise.